Once Upon A Time in New York
by Violet Halliwell
Summary: Emma calls her old roommate Bella when she's in Manhattan looking for Rumpelstiltskin's son. Bella is pulled into a world of Fairytales that there is no escaping. It's not long before she finds herself in Neverland to help her best friend get her son back. Bella is undeniably attracted to the Captain who is leading them across the island. Can they find a way make their love work?
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

Chapter One

"Emma?" Bella asked shocked, she balanced the phone between her shoulder and ear so she could unlock her apartment door. "It's been a while. You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm in New York and I could use your help."

"What do you need?"

"I'm kind of on a case, I'm looking for someone. He's a definite flight risk so I could use your back up on this one."

"Sure, you got an address?" Bella asked as she put down the takeout she had got for her tea down to grab a pen and paper.

An hour later Bella was leaning up against the wall outside the address Emma had given her. Emma wasn't sure how she felt about dragging Bella into this but she knew she could trust her. If it came down to telling her the truth then Bella was the person most likely to not have her admitted to a mental hospital. Emma climbed out of the car followed by Henry and Rumpelstiltskin. Rumpelstiltskin paused looking at the apartment block.

"What's wrong?" Emma asked. "This the right place?"

"Yeah."

"It's because he's not expecting us. Well, who doesn't love a surprise?" Emma led across the sidewalk to where Bella was waiting. The girls embraced before they turned to face Henry and Rumpel. "Bella, this is my son, Henry."

"Nice to meet you Henry," Bella said with a smile.

"And this is Mr. Gold. He owns a shop back in Storybrooke. It's his son we're here looking for."

* * *

"What is it, sweetie?" Cora asked her daughter.

"It's Henry," Regina told her mother as she turned to face her. "Emma left town with Gold, and she took him with her."

"And you didn't stop them?" Cora questioned.

"I didn't know until after they were gone," Regina said sadly.

"I'm sure he is safe," Cora assured her. "And, as soon as Gold's done, Henry will be back."

"But not with me," Regina said before sighing.

"Back? From where?" Killian asked, appearing in the doorway. "Where's Rumpelstiltskin gone?"

"I don't know," Regina answered.

"Well, if he's left town, then he's powerless. He can be killed," Killian stated.

"The moment either of us leave, we lose our magic," Cora reminded them. "And our advantage."

"Your memories?" Killian asked.

"None of us were victims of the curse," Regina said. "It's not about memories- it's about magic."

"Well, I don't need magic," Killian told the two women. "I'll go after him alone."

"Even if you could find him, do you really think you can just walk up to him and stab him in the heart with your sword?" Regina demanded standing up to face the pirate.

"Well, I'd prefer my hook, but I can't find that now."

"You're not going anywhere," Cora told him.

"I deserve my vengeance!" Killian snapped.

"You're right. You're right, you do. And, with The Dark One gone, we can search for the one magical item that can actually kill him here," Cora told Killian and her daughter. "His dagger."

* * *

"So how do you know my mum?" Henry asked the four approached the building.

"We used to work cases together," Bella told him.

Henry smiled obviously bursting with more questions and stepped up to the list of name next to the buzzers. "No Baelfire," he stated, turning back around.

"Yeah, that probably wouldn't fly as an alias. Your magic globe didn't give you an apartment number?" Emma asked Gold.

Bella raised her eyebrows when Emma mentioned magic but she figured she wasn't being literal.

"It doesn't work that way," Rumpel stated as he and Emma scanned the list.

"Do any of these names mean anything to you?" Henry asked Rumpel.

"Well, names are what I traffic in, but sadly, no."

Bella pointed to an apartment that was listed only by number. "There's your boy," she told Rumpel.

"Or, it could just be vacant."

"You might traffic in names, whatever that means," Bella told him. "But Emma and I traffic in finding people who don't want to be found. And those sort of folks don't like to advertise their whereabouts." Bella buzzed the apartment on the intercom. "U.P.S. package for four-oh-seven."

Whoever had picked up didn't respond and hung up. "Maybe you should've said FedEx," Henry suggested.

Before Emma could answer her son she and Bella turned their head distracted by a noise from above. "He's running," Bella stated. She headed outside with the others just behind her. The four of them watch the apartment's occupant climbing down the fire escape, as soon as he reached the bottom he broke into a run in the opposite direction. "That favour you owe me," Rumpel said urgently. "This is it. Get him to talk to me. I can't run."

Emma looks at Bell questioningly but she nods her head agreeing to help. "Watch Henry," Emma told Gold. "We'll be back."

The two women set off at a sprint, following the unknown man. They cut across a busy road stalling traffic. The man jumped a small railing but Bella and Emma don't have any trouble copying him. He dashed inside a small shopping arcade almost knocking a man over before turning left. Emma followed him but Bella kept running straight forward to try cutting him off. Bella ran down the opposite of the building and managed to ambush the man. She tackled him to the ground just as Emma caught up with them.

Bella leaned up on her arms catching her breath as the man leaned up his hood slipping to reveal his face.

"Neal?" Emma gasped.

"Emma," Neal whispered, shocked. Bella looked between the pair stunned.

Emma helped Bella to her feet and Neal continued to look confused. "I don't understand. What are you doing here?" Neal asked Emma. Bella and Neal had never met. Bella had gone back to Forks to visit her father during the time Emma had known Neal. She had gone to help Emma when he friend had called and explained her situation. The pair had lived together for a few years when Emma first got out of prison.

"What am I doing here?" Emma asked Neal sounding incredulous.

"Yeah."

"I'm not answering anything until you tell me the truth. Are you Gold's son?" she asked him.

Neal frowned. "What are you talking about? Who's Gold?"

Emma stepped away shaking her head, Bella moved to her side putting her hand on her shoulder to steady her. "You played me," Emma whispered, completely forgetting Bella didn't know anything about the Enchanted Forest. "You're from there. You played me, and he played me. You both played me."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Okay."

"You and Gold," Emma carried on, disregarding Neal's words.

"Emma, slow down," Neal said. "What are you talking about? Who's Gold?"

"Your father," Emma answered. "Rumpelstiltskin."

Bella looked at her like she had gone mad. "Rumpelstiltskin?" Bella demanded confused. Emma shot her look that said she would explain later. Neal's whole demeanour changed.

"He's here?" Neal asked.

"Why else would I be in New York?" Emma demanded.

"You brought him to me? Why would you do that?!"

"Hey! I am the only one allowed to be angry here!" Emma shouted. "Did you know who I was, where I was from, the whole time? Was this just some sort of sick, twisted plan? Did…. Did you even know about me at all?"

"Emma, do not-"

"I want to know," Emma demanded, cutting across him. "I want the truth- all of it!"

"Fine!" Neal agreed. "We got to get off the street. We can't do it here. We're out in the open. I… I spent a lifetime running from that man. I'm not going to let him catch me. There's a bar down the street. We can talk there."

"I am not drinking with you," Emma told him. "Whatever you're going to tell me, tell me now."

"No, bar's better. Don't worry. You can keep yelling at me when we get there," Neal told her before he started walking away.

Bella let out a laugh before she followed him. Emma let out an annoyed huff before she too set off after the pair of them.

* * *

"Don't worry," Henry told Rumpel. "Emma's really good at catching people."

"Well, my son's been running away for a long time now. I have a feeling he's equally adept at it."

"Well, at least we found him, right?"

"Indeed," Rumpel answered.

"Oh, and, uh, thanks, for the hot dog," Henry told him. "I forgot."

"You are quite welcome. And thank you."

"For what?" Henry asked.

"Well, if it wasn't for you bringing Emma to Storybrooke, none of this would have come to pass," Gold explained. "You are a remarkable young man."

"You know… I forgave her," Henry told Rumpel. "Emma – for giving me up. She thought it was the best for me then. That's why she did it. I'm sure your son will get it, too."

"Alas," Rumple said to Henry. "The circumstances surrounding our separation weren't quite so noble."

"But you are here now," Henry tried to reason. "And, you want him back, right?"

"More than anything," Rumpel said.

"Then, that's all that matters," Henry told him.

* * *

Neal sat down at the bar and Emma and Bella followed his lead. "Well, what do you want to know, Emma?" Neal asked her. "You want the truth? Ask away."

"Did you know who I was when we met?" Emma asked him.

"If I had, I wouldn't have gone near you," Neal confessed.

"Come on," Emma scoffed, disbelievingly.

"Come on? Come on, what?" Neal demanded. "I was in hiding, I came here to get away from all that crap."

"So, if you didn't know, then you were just using me. You just needed someone to take the fall for all the watches that you stole."

"I wasn't using you," Neal said. "When we met, I didn't know. I found out."

"How?" Emma asked.

"When I went to sell the watches…" Neal explained. "I ran into a friend of yours. August."

"You left me and let me go to prison because Pinocchio told you to?" Emma demanded. Bella choked on her drink at Emma's words.

"Emma…"

"I loved you," Emma told him.

"I was trying to help you." Neal said.

"By letting me go to jail?"

"By getting you home," Neal told her.

"Are you telling me, that us meeting was a coincidence. Because how the hell did that happen? If it wasn't in your plan, or your fathers?" Emma asked him.

"Think about it," Neal suggested. "He wanted you to break the curse. Us meeting- that could have stopped it. Maybe it was fate."

"You believe in that?" Emma questioned.

"You know, there's not a ton about my father that I remember that doesn't suck. But he used to tell me that there are no coincidences. Everything that happens, happens by design, and theres nothing we can do about it. Forces greater than us conspire to make it happen. Fate, destiny, whatever you want to call it. Maybe we met for a reason. Maybe something good came from us being together.

"No, not that I can think of," Emma told him as she stood up. Bella gave Emma a look that clearly said what she was doing was wrong. "I just went to jail. That's it. Doesn't matter now. I'm over it, and you."

"Why do you wear the, uh, key chain I got you?" Neal asked.

Emma pulled the necklace from her neck and placed it on the bar in front of Neal. "To remind myself to pick the people I chose to trust extremely carefully," she said. "Come on, I made a deal with your father I'd bring you to him."

"You made a deal with him?" Neal asked.

"Yeah," Emma said. "And I'm upholding my end."

"No, Emma, you don't have to," Neal told her. "You know that."

"I know," Emma agreed.

"Okay," Neal said. "So this should be really easy for you. Tell him that you lost me. Tell him that you can't find me. You do that, you'll never have to see me again."

Emma turned back to look Bella, unsure of how to proceed. Bella shook her head, stepping forward she pressed some hand cuffs into Emma's hand. She turned handcuffing Neal to the bar. Bella searched his pockets to make sure he didn't have anything he could pick the lock with before they stepped outside.

* * *

"So let me get this right," Bella said as she came to stop in front of Emma. "Your parents are Snow White and Prince Charming. There a town in Maine that is filled with Fairytale characters that was created by a curse and one of them, the Evil Queen, is your son's adoptive mother."

"Pretty much sums it up," Emma agreed.

"Rumpelstiltskin's son is Henry's grandfather?"

"I know. I know and the millions of questions you have, I have, too. The problem is it doesn't matter right now because I don't know what to do."

"Please tell me you're not asking me to tell you to keep it from him." Bella looked at Emma.

"Henry thinks his father is dead," Emma tried to explain. "I told him that for a reason. I want to protect him."

"No matter what Neal did you to you Emma, Henry has a right to know who his father is. The truth about your parents… Emma, you of all people should know how important that is."

"I don't want Henry to get hurt. I just want to protect him," Emma whispered, fighting down tears.

"And you sure this us about protecting Henry, and not yourself?" Bella asked gently.

* * *

"Why are you so nervous?" Henry ask Rumpelstiltskin. "When I found my mom, I was excited."

"Because I have the benefit of a little more life experience. I know that things don't always happen the way we want them to."

"Sure," Henry agreed. "But in my book, it says that you can see the future. Why can't you just look and see what's going to happen?"

"Well, that ability is complicated," Rumpel told Henry. "I didn't always have it. And then when I did… Well… It's maybe not the gift one would expect. Seeing the inevitable can be a terrible price."

"But you wouldn't have to worry about stuff," Henry said. "You'd just know."

"But that's the great trap," Rumpel explained. "The future is like a puzzle. With missing pieces. Difficult to read and never, never what you think."

Henry opened his mouth to ask what Rumpelstiltskin meant when the door to the lobby opened. Emma and Bella stepped inside pulling a still handcuffed Neal behind them. "You found him," Rumpel said with a smile standing.

"Yeah, but theres something I need to talk to you guys about outside first," Emma told them. Rumpel frowned but he and Henry followed Emma outside.

"What am I missing?" Neal asked Bella.

"That's for Emma to tell you, not me," Bella answered. She had the feeling that they were going to be glad Neal was in handcuffs when Emma dropped her bombshell on him.

* * *

 **A/N: Posted on 14/07/2015. All outfits are on my profile. Violet x.**


	2. Chapter One

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

Chapter Two

 _Six months later._

Bella, David, Mary Margaret and Mother Superior all looked away from where Regina still lay on the bed to Emma as she closed the door to the apartment behind her. "What happened?" David asked stepping forward first when he saw the look on his daughters face. Bella and Mary Margaret quickly followed.

"What is it?" Bella asked when her friend continued to stare into space for a moment. Emma looked up at her friend with tears in her eyes. "Where's Neal?"

Emma looked from Bella to her mother then her father slowly. "He's gone," she whispered. "She killed him." They all looked at Emma stunned, unsure of what to say.

* * *

A short while later Mary Margaret and Bella were upstairs with Regina while David was sat with his daughter on the metal steps. "Emma, I'm so sorry," he told her.

"How am I gonna tell Henry?" she asked her father quietly. David didn't what to say, he wrapped his arm more firmly around her and kissed her head. All he could do was comfort her.

David left Emma with her mother while he went upstairs to check on Bella, Mary Margaret and Regina. "You," Regina said when she came to and saw Mary Margaret sat on the bed beside her. "You saved me?"

"Yes," Mary Margaret told her.

"You really think we'd let you die?" David asked. "Despite our differences we are family.

"Where are they?" Regina asked. "Where are Greg and Tamara?"

"They got away," David said.

"So they still have it," Regina said.

"Still have what?" Bella asked, stepping forward.

* * *

"A trigger?" David demanded.

"That will destroy Storybrooke," Regina confirmed.

"No," Mary Margaret said.

"I had a fail-safe build in to the curse," Regina explained.

"Why exactly were you carrying it around?" Bella asked.

"She was gonna destroy us, Bella," he said.

"I was gonna use the beans to take Henry back to the Enchanted Forest."

"And in the process kill all of us," Mary Margaret realized.

"You wanna discuss justification?" Regina asked. "You were going to abandon me. Or shall we discuss the more pressing issue? Which is that I no longer control the trigger."

* * *

Mr Gold was snapped out of his trance when he heard a car door shut. He looked away from Henry to see Emma, Bella, Mary Margaret and David all climb from a car. "Gold," David called. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, my son made it clear I'm to stay away from him so I'm spending some time with my grandson instead," Gold told them. By the time he had finished talking they four had reached him.

"Emma, it's okay. Why don't you go talk to Henry and we'll handle this," Bella suggested. Emma didn't say anything as she made her way towards her son.

Bella looked to Mary Margaret who nodded encouragingly. "Mr Gold we have some news we have to share with you," Bella began. "And it's not good."

"Not interested," he told her.

"It's about your son," Bella said and Mr Gold stopped.

"Yeah, what about him?" Mr Gold asked, not looking away from Emma and Henry who were now sat down on a bench.

"Tamara shot him," Mary Margaret told him.

"What?" Mr Gold asked turning to look at them. "He's dead?"

"They used a bean to open a portal," David explained. "Neal was hurt so badly he fell through." Mr Gold made a stunned noise, stepping back unable to believe what he was being told. "He's gone."

"Bae wasn't supposed to die," Mr Gold whispered.

"Greg and Tamara, they took something from Regina," David told Mr Gold. "A magical trigger, a fail-safe built into the curse that can destroy Storybrooke."

"If they activate it, it's a self-destruct. Everyone not born in this world will die," Mary Margaret said.

"I know this is hard but we need your help," David told him.

Mr Gold continued to look shocked by the news he had just received. "No," he said and began to walk away.

"They killed your son in cold blood," David said. "And you don't want to stop them?"

"They didn't kill my son," Mr Gold stated as he turned back around with tears in his eyes. "I did. I brought magic to this world all to find Bae and now he's dead. Magic always has a price and this is it but I'm prepared to pay it."

"But we'll die," Mary Margaret protested. "You'll die."

"Yeah, I've made my peace with that."

The three of them watched him walk away shocked.

* * *

"It's just ahead," Greg told Tamara and Killian as the three of them made their way through the mines.

"Are you sure whoever is in charge doesn't want you guys to die in a mine collapse?" Killian questioned.

"Just keep moving," Tamara ordered him not bothering to answer.

"Who is telling you what to do?" Killian asked curious.

"You know what? That's none of your concern," Greg said. "It's none of ours, either."

"Not you concern. So you're telling me you don't know who commands you?" Hook asked incredulous. Why would they blindly obey someone they hadn't even met?

"Unlike you, Hook, we believe in something," Tamara said. "We have faith in the sacredness of our cause."

"We're here," Greg told them as he walked a bit further ahead and picked up one of the dwarves axes.

"So your sacred cause is pilfering a dwarf's pick axe?" Killian questioned sarcastically.

"Regina had this," Tamara said, producing a purple diamond. "In her pocket when you handed her over to us."

"It's a trigger, and this as, according to our people, is what activates it," Greg explained as he approached them carrying the axe.

"So you're going to destroy an entire town and kill everyone in it?"

"Yeah, including your enemy," Greg reminded him.

"Rumpelstiltskin won't be immune to this?" Killian asked.

"None of your kind will be," Tamara informed him. "Once this thing gets activated nothing can shut it off."

"This whole town will revert to the forest it once was. So, tell us, Hook. We're willing to die for our cause. Are you willing to die for yours?" Greg questioned as he picked up a rock and placed it on the floor and Tamara placed them diamond on top of it.

Killian eyed them both staggered for a moment. "Absolutely," he lied. Greg brought the axe down on the diamond with a lot of force. The diamond rose up into the air and gave off a blast off blue light before it remained levitating as it glowed. The three of them quickly fled the tunnel. Back in Storybrooke the trigger had already began to work as vines wrapped their way around the clock tower in the middle of town.

* * *

"Henry!" Regina exclaimed as he entered the apartment with Emma, Mary Margaret, David and Bella.

"Mom," Henry greeted rushing to her. Regina wrapped her arms around him. As they embraced a blast of blue light shot through the apartment making the ground shake.

"Regina, was that-?" Emma began to ask.

"Yes, the diamond was activated," Regina confirmed cutting Emma off.

"So we're all gonna die," Henry said.

"You and Bella we're born here, so you'll live," Regina told him.

"But… we don't want to be without the rest of you!" Henry said.

"I'm so sorry," Regina said genuinely.

"It's not gonna happen. I'm not gonna let it." She looked at Regina. "You did this, now make it stop," Emma demanded.

"I can't, there's no way," Regina told her.

"Well figure it out!" Emma shouted. "It's your fault."

"Stop!" Henry said loudly. "I already lost my dad. I don't want to lose anybody else. We have to work together." While Henry was trying to reason with his mother's no one noticed Killian slip in through the open door.

"From the mouth of babes," Killian said announcing his presence. "I'd say the lad has a point." Everyone turned to look at him but no one was smiling. David who was stood closest approached Killian and didn't hesitate as he punched him square in the face.

"That was for the last time we met," David told him.

"Bloody hell," Killian cursed as he straightened back up.

"Tell us why you're here," David demanded as he drew his gun. "Before I use something other than my fist."

"I think threatening me seems a bit redundant when we're all about to die anyway," Killian pointed out.

"No thanks to you," Bella said. "Regina just told us you were working with Tamara and Greg to get your revenge."

"Well, that was before they told me I had to die to get it," Killian admitted.

"We don't have time for this," Emma stated. "We have a real problem."

"Which is why I'm here," Killian said. "Cause staring in the face of death has made me realize if there's one thing I want more than my revenge, it's my life. So should we stop this thing now and then resume bickering?"

"There is no stopping it," Regina repeated. "And the best I can do is slow it down, but that will only delay the inevitable."

"It'll give us the time we need," David said.

"Time for what?" Mary Margaret asked.

"To steal back the beans. Use them to get everyone to the Enchanted Forest before Storybrooke is gone."

"How?" Emma asked. "We don't even know where Greg and Tamara are."

"Well, I do," Killian said. "I can help."

"Help yourself," Bella told him still mad at his recent betrayal. "You'll take them and leave us all behind. Why should we trust you?"

"No, we won't have to," David said. "You and I will go with him."

"Good idea," Bella agreed. "If he tries anything I'll shoot him in the face." Bella pulled back her jacket to flash him the gun she carried on a shoulder holster.

"Quite hostile aren't we?" Killian asked rhetorically.

"Just being clear," Bella told him.

"I'll take Regina to slow down the diamond. Give you guy's time," Emma said. "Mary Margaret, take Henry, and gather everyone else. Make sure you are ready to go as soon as we have those beans." Mary Margaret and Henry headed for the door to the apartment.

"Henry, before you go," Regina said making him turn back to face her. "I'm sorry for what's happened. I tried to be the person that you wanted me to be and I failed. I won't let you be without your family. You just know that I love you."

"I love you too," Henry told her, stepping forward to hug her before he and Mary Margaret left. Emma stepped out with Regina behind her leaving Killian, David and Bella behind.

"The things we do for our children," Killian commented before he followed David and Bella out of the apartment.

* * *

Mr Gold stepped out from the back of his shop to see all the dwarves looking for something. "A sure sign of impending doom. Looters," he commented.

Leroy picked up a decorated drinking stein and looked at Mr Gold. "It ain't looting if the stuff you find is already yours. We need Sneezy's stein. We can bring his memories back."

"Oh, can you?" Mr Gold asked, his tone mocking.

"Mother Superior finally figured it out," Leroy said. "He needs to drink this." Leroy produced a bottle containing blue liquid. "Out of his old stein; something important to him."

"So she found the solution to the memory problem? Today? In the nick of time before we all die?" Mr Gold asked.

"She's been working on it all along," Leroy told him. "Then when she had to transform August back to Pinocchio, she found the ingredient she needed – a hair from Pinocchio's head. Someone who returned to who he should be. Someone who wasn't cursed."

"So you're going to wake your friend up, to tell him he's about to die," Mr Gold questioned.

"I don't want that," Clark protested.

"Shut it, Clark," Leroy snapped. "He wants to know who he is and be with his family, no matter how much time he has left."

"Not if I'm gonna die."

"Take him back to Granny's. We'll do it there," Leroy said. The other dwarves all grabbed Clark and proceeded to drag him from the shop while he protested. Leroy watched them go and stayed behind turning back to face Mr Gold. "I asked her to make a second dose. This is for you." Leroy produced a second bottle of the potion and handed it to Mr Gold.

"Well, what am I supposed to do with that?" Mr Gold asked.

"Belle once helped remind me who I was," Leroy said. "I've never forgotten. I wanna return the favour. Don't let her die as Lacey." Leroy turned and left the shop following his brothers.

Lacey stepped out of the backroom once he was gone. "What was that about?" she asked.

"It was nothing," Mr Gold assured her, slipping the potion away in his jacket and heading away into the back of his shop.

* * *

Greg was behind the building that held Storybrooke cannery. He dumped a bunch of files into a trash can that he has already started in a fire in. He runs out of sight just as Killian, Bella and David pull up. "Over there," Killian said as they all climbed out.

"Let's go," David told them. Before they could go anywhere there was another earth quake. David grabbed hold of the truck and Bella stumbled into Killian who caught her to steady her.

"Easy, love," Killian said with a smirk. Bella couldn't stop the blush that spread across her face and pulled herself from Killian's hold once the shaking stopped. "Time's running out."

"Oh, is that what that means?" David demanded sarcastically and the three of them set off towards the building at a run.

Once inside Bella and David were inside they drew their guns. Killian followed behind them as they made their way through the cannery looking for Greg, Tamara and the beans. "So, tell me, Hook, all this time, it's been about revenge for you. Why is it suddenly so important that you survive?" David asked him. "I know what I'm fighting for- my family. What are you fighting for?"

"Myself," Killian said, deliberately not looking at Bella. David smirked as the pirate gave himself away. "That's plenty of motivation, I can assure you."

David didn't say anything else as they continued to make their way further into the cannery. "Quiet," David whispered when they all hear a noise in the distance. Bella and David raised their guns as Greg approached. "The beans. Give them to me."

"You mean these?" Greg asked taking out a jar full of beans. Tamara appeared out of nowhere and shot David's gun out of his hand. David dove towards Bella to avoid being shot and knocked Bella's gun out of her reach as well. Tamara set of running and David and Bella scrambled to their feet quickly following her. Killian tackled Greg and the two wrestled for the jar of beans. Greg got away in the end and ran off in the direction Tamara went catching up with her where she had been cornered by David and Bella. Tamara shot at Bella but missed. She aimed her gun to shoot again but Greg stopped her. "No, we've got what we need."

Tamara and Greg ran away. Bella made to run after them but Killian grabbed her arm to stop her. "What are you doing?" she asked. "They've got the beans."

"Not all of them," Killian told her. "I snagged one." He opened his hand to show her the bean he had stolen from Greg.

"Where are the rest?" David asked.

"Who cares? All we need is one," Killian said. David attempted to run after them then. "Hey! Live to fight another day, mate."

David frowned at Killian. "I'm not your mate," he told him, taking the bean and putting it in his pocket before he walked away. Bella patted the pirate on the shoulder before she walked after David. Killian smiled before he followed her. It was the first time she had been kind in any way since he had betrayed them.

* * *

Down in the mines Emma and Regina made their way to where Greg had activated the device. "I can feel it," Emma said. "It's like the oxygen's being sucked out of the air."

"Not the oxygen. The magic," Regina told her. The two women turned another corner and arrived at where the trigger was. "There it is. Once it stops glowing, its destruction is achieved. And then… Well, then we'll see the real carnage. I'll try to contain its energy as long as I can."

"Won't be long. We'll have the beans soon," Emma said. "We can get the hell out of here."

"Slowing the device… It's going to require all the strength I have," Regina explained.

"You're not coming with us, are you?" Emma asked. "When you said good bye to Henry, you were saying good bye."

"He knows I love him, doesn't he?" Regina questioned.

"Regina, no," Emma told her. "There has to be another way!"

"You were right, you know," Regina said. "Everything that's happening, it's all my fault. I created the device. It's only fitting that it takes my life."

"What am I supposed to tell Henry?" Emma asked.

"Tell him that in the end, it wasn't too late for me to do the right thing," Regina told her.

"Regina please," Emma pleaded again.

"Everyone looks at me as the Evil Queen, including my son. Let me die as Regina."

Emma began to head out of the cave but she stopped and turned back knowing she had to try one more time. "Regina," Emma said but Regina had already stepped forward and was attempting to contain the device.

* * *

In Mr Gold's pawn shop he poured a drink for himself and Lacey as vines overtook the outside of the shop. "To the end of the world," Mr Gold toasted. Lacey hesitated. "Come on, it'll help numb it."

"I, uh, I'll drink to that," she agreed. She reached for her cup, but spilt it. "Oh. I-I'm so sorry. Uh, here I got it." She grabbed the closest thing she could to clean it up which just so happened to be Baelfire's shawl.

"Stop! Stop! Put that down!" Mr Gold said, a little bit harshly.

"It's just an old rag," Lacey said confused.

"It belonged to someone very important," Mr Gold told her, taking it back from her. "You wouldn't understand."

"I said I'm sorry," Lacey snapped. Mr Gold stepped away from her and walked over to a cabinet. He picked up the remains of a teacup and magically repaired it. "That cup again. What is it?"

"It's something from my past. From our past," he told her. "And I'm sorry. Let's not fight." Mr Gold had his back to Lacey as he poured the potion Leroy had given him into the cup. He turned and handed it over to her. She accepted the cup and took a sip. That one sip was all it took for her to remember who she really was. "Belle." Mr Gold looked at her as his eyes filled with tears.

"Rumple," Belle said with a sob as she stepped closer embracing him. Mr Gold pulled away so he could finally kiss her again after all this time.

"I'm so sorry," Mr Gold told her. "I didn't want to wake you up to die but I needed you."

"You lost your son," Belle said. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry."

"I've failed."

* * *

"We have the beans," David announced as he, Bella and Killian stepped into Granny's diner where everyone was gathered.

"You did it?" Emma asked.

"Yeah," Bella told her. Emma smiled at her friend before she looked back at her father and realized he was bleeding.

"You okay?"

"Oh," David said looking down at his arm. "It's grazed. Its fine."

"Okay," Emma accepted. "Let's get going. Henry?"

Henry stepped forward looking around. "Where's my mom?" he asked.

"Regina can hold off the self-destruct device long enough for us to escape but…" Emma trailed off.

"But what?" Henry pushed.

"She won't survive," Emma admitted.

"No," Henry protested. "No."

"Henry, I'm sorry," Emma told him. "I promised her I'd get you to safety."

"But we can't do this," Henry insisted. "She's family. We don't leave family behind."

"This is what she wants," Emma said. "We have a way out. We have to take it."

"We saved her from being killed by the wraith," Henry reminded Emma. "How is this any different?"

"The Wraith!" Mary Margaret exclaimed stepping forward.

"What?" Emma asked.

"We sent it through a portal. Why can't we do the same with the self-destruct?" Mary Margaret asked.

"Because we don't know if it's gonna work," Emma told her.

"It could," Mary Margaret insisted.

"Yeah," David agreed, stepping forward and putting his hands on his wife's shoulders.

Emma looked to her best friend Bella. Her friend simply nodded, she thought Emma's parents plan was worth a try. "It's too risky," Emma said, mostly to Bella. "No one will go along with it."

"Yes, we will," Archie said, stepping forward to speak for everyone. "Because it's the right thing to do. Look, Snow White and the Prince have always led us before, and we've always won. So who's willing to let them lead us again?"

A murmur of agreement was heard from each person in the room. Bella and Emma looked around surprised at their easy acceptance. "Thank you, Archie," Mary Margaret told him before she looked back at Emma. "This is what we should do."

"And will do," David backed his wife up.

"Look, I know we haven't had a lot of chances to be parents, but give us this one," Mary Margaret requested. "Let us do the right thing. It's not too late."

Emma pulled Henry into her arms. "I just don't want him to be alone," she told her parents. "I don't want him to grow up the way I did." The loudest bang so far made the diner shake and another earth quake followed. Emma clung onto Henry, David grabbed Mary Margaret. Killian grabbed Bella's hand and they held onto each other as the diner continued to shake around them. As soon as the shaking stopped she pulled away from Killian. She wasn't prepared to trust him again until he prove she could. "This plan could fail. If we use that bean now, we can get away for sure. We will survive."

"But it's wrong," Mary Margaret told Emma. "Emma, I killed her mother."

"You did that to Cora because you had to," Emma said.

"I did it because it was easy," Mary Margaret admitted. "It was a mistake. There were other paths, harder paths, and I wish I had taken them. So, please, Emma, honey, let's take the hard path because if we don't we will be building a future on Regina's blood."

Emma hesitated and looks at her friend again. "Okay," Emma sighed. David tossed her the bean but Killian reached up easily catching it.

"You're all mad," Killian said. Bella and Emma both attempted to get the bean back. "I can live with myself."

"Give it back," Bella demanded.

"If she wants to die for us, I say let her," Killian told Bella. Bella looked to Emma who was staring at Killian stunned. She knew she had to say something, she had to make Killian understand she believed he could do the right thing even if he didn't.

Bella rolled her eyes. "We understand each other," Bella said to him. "Look out for yourself, and you'll never get hurt, right?"

"Worked quite well for me," he admitted.

"Yeah, until the day it doesn't," Bella said. "We're gonna do this. It might be stupid, it might be crazy, but we're doing it. So, you can join us and be part of something or you can do what you do and be alone."

Killian turned the pouch holding the bean over in his hands. Bella held her out and Killian placed the bean in it. "Quite passionate, Swan," he told her. Bella beamed at him and then nodded at Emma.

"Thank you," Emma said and left the diner with the others following.

"So, why are you really doing this?" Killian asked.

"The kid just lost his father today. I'm not going to stand by and watch him lose either of his mothers," Bella said.

"His father?" Killian questioned. "Who's Henry's father?"

"Neal," Bella told him.

"Baelfire?"

"Yeah."

* * *

Emma led Henry, Bella, Mary Margaret and David down into the mines. "What are you doing here?" Regina asked looking up.

"You willing to die to save us. That makes you a hero. Now we're gonna be heroes," Henry said.

"They're gonna open a portal," David explained. "Throw this thing into a void."

"No," Regina said. "You don't know that it'll work."

"We have to try," Mary Margaret told her.

"Everybody step aside," David told them. "Bella?" They all looked to Emma's closest friend. The one they had come to consider family. Bella pulled out the pouch containing the bean and opened it. She stared down into it stunned.

"Bella?" Emma questioned when she didn't move.

"It's empty," she told them. "Killian. I'm gonna kill that bloody pirate." She threw the pouch to the ground and set off out of the tunnels at a run.

"Bella," Emma called making to run after her friend to stop her getting into danger.

"Let her go," Mary Margaret said, stopping her. "Bella can take care of herself. "We need to figure out what to do now."

* * *

Killian steered his ship away from Storybrooke's harbor and into the open sea. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the bean. Once he was far enough away from the town he raised his hand ready to throw the bean into the water and open a portal. His eyes were drawn to the scratched out port and starboard. His thoughts immediately went to Baelfire and his son. He stopped, lowering the hand that is holding the bean and sighed.

Bella reached the harbor and saw Killian's ship miles off shore in the distance. She swore and turned on her heel running back towards the mines. As she passed by town she heard the people running in terror as the town was continuing to turn back into forest. It didn't take her long to make it back to the mines.

"Killian's gone," she told as she turned the corner. Emma looked relieved to see her friend. "There's no way of getting that bean back in time."

"I can't contain it much longer," Regina said, her voice stained. Emma approached Bella and embraced her before she walked to her mother and father.

"Mom, Dad," Emma said and they all embrace. Henry approached Regina.

"I love you, Henry," Regina told him. "I only wish I was strong enough to stop all this. I'm just not."

Emma who was still embracing her parents let out a small gasp of realization. She pulled away from her mom and dad to approach Regina and Henry. "You may not be strong enough," Emma said. "But maybe we are." Henry moved away from his mothers to stand with his grandparents as Emma stood at the other side of the device from Regina and put her hands up as well. The two women combined their magic and managed to deactivate the self-destruct device. The crystal sent out a blast of magic knocking them all to the ground.

* * *

Back in the center of town Mr Gold stepped out of his shop and watched all the trees and vines begin to retreat.

It took a few minutes for everyone down in the mine to come to. They all climbed to their feet. "We're alive," David said happily as he helped Mary Margaret to her feet. David moved to help Bella next and Mary Margaret went to her daughter.

"Emma," she said and held her hand out. Regina went over and picked up the now deactivated trigger.

"We did it," Emma said.

"Yeah we did," Regina told her.

"Gotta hand to Henry. He's right about a lot of things," Bella said.

"Yeah he is," Emma said with a smile. "Isn't that right, kid?" They all turned to where they had last seen Henry but he wasn't there. "Henry?"

They all set off at a run through the mines looking for him. "Henry," Regina called out again, still receiving no reply.

"Henry," Emma shouted when she saw something and ran ahead of everyone.

"Emma, what is it?" Mary Margaret asked as they all caught up. Emma turned revealing what she had found. Henry's backpack.

"They took him," she whispered.

* * *

Tamara and Greg were leading down by the cannery towards the docks. "Relax, kid," Tamara told him as Greg pulled him along. "We're not gonna hurt you."

"Just everyone I love," he said. "You tried to blow up Storybrooke."

"True," Tamara conceded. "But that was never the point."

"It wasn't?" Henry asked, confused.

"We came here to destroy magic, Henry," Greg told him. "But then we found something more important, something that changed everything." Greg pulled a struggling Henry to a stop and made him face him. "You."

* * *

Emma had set off a run as soon as she realised Henry hadn't simply wondered off but had been taken. "Emma, you don't even know where you're going," Mary Margaret said as they all followed Emma down towards the docks.

"Doesn't matter," Emma said not slowing down. "I'll track him down in hell if I have to."

"There!" Bella shouted, Emma turned looking in the direction Bella was pointing. They all set off at a sprint but they weren't going to make it. Greg opened the portal the moment he spotted the five of them.

"The last bean," Regina said. "They've opened a portal."

"Henry!" Emma and David both shouted as they continued to run closer. Greg and Tamara both grabbed one of Henry's arm each and jumped off the dock straight into the portal. It was already closing by the time they got there.

"No, no, no," Emma said looking down at the water but David wrapped his arms around her holding her back. "We have to follow them. There has to be a way."

"Not only do we not know where that portal took them but Killian stole the last bean," Bella reminded them.

"I don't care!" Emma said.

"Without it, there's no way to follow," Regina said.

"There has to be," Emma insisted. "We can't just let them take Henry."

They were all too focused on Emma, none of them noticed Mr Gold and Belle approaching. "They've taken Henry?" Mr Gold asked.

"Yeah," Bella said, her eyes remained on her friend for a moment before she looked at Gold. "You're the Dark One. Do something."

"Gold, help us," Emma pleaded.

"There's no way," Mr Gold said. "I spent a lifetime trying to cross world to find my son. There's no way in this world without a portal."

"So that's it?" Regina demanded. "He's gone forever? I refuse to believe that."

Belle looked passed them all squinting at something in the distance. "What's that?" she asked. Everyone turned to see what she was talking about. It was the Jolly Roger and it was heading into the docks.

* * *

Emma led the way down to where the ship had stopped. Killian stepped off the deck and down the walkway. "Hook," Emma said. "What are you doing here?"

"Helping," Killian answered. "Where's Swan?" Bella stepped forward from where she was behind Mary Margaret and David. "I'm sorr-. " Bella stepped up and punched Killian sending him staggering back. "I probably deserved that."

"Damn right, you did," Bella told him. David laughed from where he stood and Mary Margaret half-heartedly hit his shoulder. "You're too late anyway."

"Am I?" Killian asked.

"I thought you didn't care about anyone but yourself?" Bella demanded, folding her arms.

He held out his hand and opened it revealing the bean. "Maybe I just needed reminding that I could," he told her. Bella eyed him warily but reached forward and took the pouch. She immediately opened it and turned it over dropping the bean into her hand. She dropped it back into the pouch and handed it Emma this time.

"Enough waiting around," Regina said. "Let's go."

"Go? Where? I thought we were saving the town?" Killian asked.

"We already did," David told him.

"We need to get Henry," Bella explained. "Greg and Tamara took him through a portal."

"Well, I offer my ship and my services to help follow them," Killian said, looking at Emma.

"That's great, Hook, but how do we track them?" Regina asked.

"Leave that to me," Mr Gold said. "I can get us where we need to go." Killian looked at Mr Gold with a frown. He wasn't happy at the thought of having that man on his ship again.

"Well, let's do it," Mary Margaret said. They all moved forward following Bella and Killian aboard the ship.

"Belle, I have to go," Mr Gold said, turning to face her. David hesitated looking back at the couple. "You have to stay here."

"No. Why? I wanna help," she told him.

"The town is no longer safe," Mr Gold said.

"What?" Belle and David asked at the same time.

"Well, Greg and Tamara weren't working alone," Mr Gold pointed out. "Others will follow."

"No, we can't leave people in danger," David said.

Mr Gold pulled out a small scroll from his pocket. "After we've gone, follow these instructions. It's a cloaking spell. It'll shield the town, making it impossible for anyone to find."

"Then how will you find your way back to me?" Belle asked. Mr Gold looked at David who walked away giving them some privacy. "You're not coming back are you?"

"The prophecy," Mr Gold said. "The boy is my undoing, but he's also my grandson. I must save him. I must do this to honour Baelfire. He's gone and I didn't even get a chance to say good bye."

"I understand, but I also know the future isn't always what it seems," Belle said. "I will see you again." Belle leaned in and kissed before she pulled back. "Baelfire would be proud of you." She turned and walked away just managing to hold back her tears.

* * *

"So are you done trying to kill me?" Mr Gold asked Killian as the pair came face to face on the deck of Jolly Roger. Bella watched uncertain from the top of the steps.

"I believe so," Killian said. Bella let out a breath she hadn't realised she had been holding and walked down to where Killian was.

"Excellent," Mr Gold told him. "Then you can live." Bella stepped closer and put her hand on her pirates arm, he looked down at her surprised as she offered him a smile. Mr Gold waved his hand used to magic to summon the Magic Globe he needed from his shop. He stepped forward, pricked his finger on the top and a strange map appeared. They all circled to look.

"Where is that? Where did they take Henry?" Regina asked.

"Neverland," Killian said gravely, earning curious glances from everyone.

They sailed further away from Storybrooke before Killian tossed the bean into the water opening a portal. They grabbed of to various part of the ship to prepare for passing through the portal. Killian held his hand out for Bella who raised her eyebrow before taking it. He brought her to stand between him and the wheel so he could keep her safe. She was the whole reason he was here, not that he was feeling like admitting it to her just yet. "So who are we up against?" David asked, raising his voice against the noise as he held onto his wife. "Who are Greg and Tamara?"

"They're merely pawns," Mr Gold shouted. "Manipulated by forces far greater by forces far greater than they can conceive. They have no idea who they're truly working for."

"Who's that?" Emma asked.

"Someone we all should fear," Mr Gold responded.

* * *

 **A/N: Posted on 30/06/2016. All outfits are on my profile. Violet x.**


	3. AN

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

Authors Note

Hey,

I know this isn't the update that many of you have been waiting. I'm not sure how many of you have noticed but I've changed the pairings on this story. I know that what I've changed them to is not what you were expecting to read but please give it a chance. Having finished watching season five I'm too taken with Killian and Emma so please keep reading and see how it goes. I will be making changes to the story so far and altering the description in the next few days.

thanks

Violet


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